The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-05-14

l
Zion ask an interest in your petitions
for Sedalia, that God will pour out bis
spirit upon this people"
CALIFORNIA. = Rev. Z. L. C0nger
conducted services on Easter Sunday at
Pasadena. The letter containing an &C.
count OF the exercises was delayed and
only reached The UNIvERsALIsT last
week. 1t was the first Easter service held
by our recently organized church in that
city, and as might be naturally expected
was an occasion OF great interest. The
church was crowded, and the service had
an excellent effect. Many who had been
preludiced against such otservances
under the popular creeds, were delight
ed with the service. From the local paper
we extract and condense:
The ladies of the church had exercised
their taste with the happiest effects and
they must have felt amply repaid for
their labor when the doors were thrown
open and the congregation came in. The
air was laden with the perfume Of the
heavy banks Of flowers about the plat
form, and the tasteful arrangement of
the floral designs called forth general
admiration. Across the wall, back of the
pulpit the words "The Lord is risen" were
outlined in evergreen, while below was
placed large cross of callas and hello
tropes, and above was hung white
wreath. On the organ, pulpit, and stands,
on either side were bouquets and other
designs in great profusion, while at the
base of the pulpit were great numbers of
callas.
Rev. Mr.. Conger occupied the pulpit
and preached from the text, "Why seek
ye the living among the deadp He is
not here. He is risen." It was dis
course eievating in thought and abound
ing in good sayings, its aim being to show
that the living principles of religion are
to be sought in the atmosphere of the
new faith with which the risen Christ
vitalized humanity. Mr.. Conger said
Jesus came as reformer and that the
need of the hour is reform. Christ brought
into the world new gospel teaching love
to God, purity OF life, and the golden
rule, and faith in risen Master soon be-
came the watchword of his followers
Christianity has since grown with the
growth of humanity, and though the leu
tons engrafted upon it the custom of
concentrating Easter, and from the
Egyptians the doctrine of the trinity
came, the purest influences have always
flowed from the life of the risen Christ
despite the foreign streams that have
been poured into the current The risen
Lord teaches us to look above for life,
both here and hereafter, and to know
that not Christs death but his life saves
us from sin. The souls life here and
hereafter should be pure. Searching for
life among dead issues, either by churches
or political parties, is not profitable. A
religion of living deeds of love and char
ity is what We want, rather than one of
mere belief in any tenet of faith. We
want religion of old-fashioned honesty,
and from Christ's life we need to draw in
SEPARATION to duty. Faith without works
is dead. Easter stimulates us to seek
for the new life bestowed upon humanity
by risen Lord.
San BernardinO.-The Inde1, of this
place, notes recent service by Mr.. Con-
ger as follows:
"Last Sunday afternoon the A. o. q.
W. Hall was filled with an intelligent au-
dience who listened to a sermon by Rev.
e. L. Conger, who chose for his theme
the Gospel of Light and Love-" The
attention of the congregation was held to
the close by the able manner in which
the subject was presented, portraying the
beauties of both light and love, and in
conclusion showing the absolute neces-
sity of the combination of both in the
full development of good Christian
life. The feeling for such teaching is in
creasing as was shown by an informal
meeting held after the services by those
most interested in establishing Univers-
alist society by voting to continue the
movement already started, and to pro-
OuIO W
meet the demands of the thinking people
of this community, and until that time
the pulpit will be supplied by the best
local talent that can be obtained"
A permanent organization is now
formed in San Bernardino. The pastor
and leader will soon be needed. Who is
the man to take up the work in this prom
ising field. The IndeG says: "We feel
confident if Mr.. Conger could be persuad-
ed to remain with us there would soon be
built one of the finest churches in the
city, and an audience to fill it second to
none either in members or intelligence"
MARYLAND.-AT Tenth Anniversary.
The tenth anniversary of Rev. r. Il.
Pullman's pastorate of the Second Uni
versalist church was celebrated Sunday
morning, May l, in Mclaughlin hall.
The Baltimore sam gives report: The
platform was made like garden of flow-
ere, SO profuse were the floral offerings
for the occasion. Many beautiful floral
pieces were especial gifts to the pastor
and his wife, accompanied with cards of
congratulations and other expressions OF
grateful feeling. Mr.. Pullman is said to